Apparatus for treating skin diseases



Jan. 3, 1950 w. R. M MILLAN APPARATUS FOR TREATING SKIN DISEASES Filed Jan. 9, 1947 Patented Jan. 3, 1950 STATES PATENT 2,493,155.

APBARATUS'FORZIREATINGSKIN DISEASES William R. McMillan, Library,-.l?a.,,assignor. to.

Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh,

Pa:, a corpcrationof Pennsylvania Applicationfianuary 9, 1947 ;:S'erialjNo'. 720954 (Cl. Rit -172.1

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of diseased .skin and tissue and, in particular, to apparatusfor electrically supplying a therapeutic agent: to thearea. to be;- treated.

It has. been found highly beneficial to treat various. forms of; skin or tissuev diseases, such-as epidermophytoses (athletesfoot) or other. moldy infections,;.b v iontophoresis of copper orother like-therapeutic agents. This may be accomr plished by the.electrolyticprocess, in which cop,- per ions from theelectrolyte migrate to. and-into the diseased. tissues when the circuit isclosed. Less common processes include electro -osmosis orelectro-phoresis, andare Within the contemplation of the present .invention.

Oneof thehandicaps-of these, treatments is the danger of. electrically shocking the patient. Toprevent this,- a circuit hasbeen devised which canbe controlled either manually; or automatic.- ally so as to .provide averysmall ilowof current when 7 initially closed and. to gradually;- increase the current to. provide eventually {a relatively large flow Without causing discomfort .toithe. pa tient. Sucha circuit is" disclosed in Conrad Patent No. 2,263,205, and it is my intention to utilize that circuit with the-improved treatment device disclosed herein. As shown in the Conrad patent, the diseased "or'affected part is immersedfin an electrolyte containing a therapeutic agent. The solution is carriedin areceptacle, such as a common. pan, and the hands also are immersed in another solution carried in a separate pan. When electrodes, which are placedinthe pan, are connectediwith a source of electromotive force, the body serves as a conductor to close the. circuit and permit-the flow ofelectriccurrent. When the affected partis' a foot or hand, the treatment can be performed satisfactorily. However, it would-be extremely inconvenient, if notimpossible, to so treat other portionsof the body, such for instance, as an infection of the face, neck or arm. Further; theConrad'systemuses a large body 'massras; a..-conductor" in the circuit so; that any sudden surgezof currentdue .togartaulty cirrcuit or careless circuit control might cause undue l sensory or motor discomfort. When the patients hands are immersed in a solution in one pan, another person may be required to manipulate the current controls.

It is among the objects of this invention to vertical. section taken,

copper: sulphate. solution, 1'.-

mobilizeE the hands; during treatment; .andlwhich requires electricity to. flowthrough no morelt'han a. veryshortpath-inthe body Accordingto theinventionthe edge. of a. cup is. pressed against. theskin. around the diseased area, preferably by astrapbrtape. The cup holds the. electricvv conducting fluid which con,-

tains .theftherapeuticagent that. is. to besupplied to the aiiected. area electrically. Electric. con.-

ductors;. closely associated with the cup, are adaptedto be connected into. an, electric circuit of the type disclosed: in .theConrad patent. Qne

of the. conductors; extends. into the solution. in the-,cup,=,while the other: is inelectric. contact withthe-skimoutside of. the cup. The current flows through the conductors, the. conducting fluid and the diseased. tissue area. to. cause the therapeutic agent to treat that-area.

The preferred embodiment of the inventioniis illustrated. in.v the accompanying,-. drawing, of which Fig, .1 .is aplan view of the. devicein oper- ,ative positionon a-patientfsarm; vFig. 2.is.a..ver.-

ticalsection through the device on thearmtaken on lineIL-II ofiFig. 1; andFig. S is anenlarged onthe, line lit-Ill; of Fig. 1. p

The following detailed description of. this -invention will. have-reference to .itsapplication in theaprocess .of electrolytically, treating, .skin diseasesmith a .:solution such .as. copp er.sulphate,..but it is notto-be-limited to that, particular solution. skinfwill be used broadly herein to include tissue.

is-vheldin liquid sealing engagement with the arm by.:*an ;.elastic. strap; 3. or by;- other'meanss such as a suitable: harness: or- 'adhesive' tape. The end wall of the 01113,,WhiCh-1Sfitfth8-t01? intheadrawing, ia provided with an opening; encircled by a neck 34:- inswhichthere; isaremovable stopper or plug 5; Bygremoving. .thaplug, the; cup: can. be filled; on the --arm..to:' the; desired extent with a The-plug; and the cup are constructed of any suitabe material, such as glass, plastic or rubber, which is electrically non-conductive and which is not attacked corrosively by the electrolyte.

The plug is provided with an axial passage in which a rod-like copper anode 8 is mounted. This electrode seals the plug passage and extends into the electrolyte in the cup. On the inner end of the electrode is mounted an insulating cap ID to prevent accidental contact of the electrode with the skin. A set screw 9 is mounted in the outer end of the electrode to connect it to a wire I I leading to a suitable source of electricity, preferably the circuit shown in the Conrad patent re ferred to above. Encircling the lip of the cup is a ring-shaped copper cathode l2, which is positioned close to it. This electrode also is provided with a set screw [3 for connecting it to a wire l4 leading to the same source of electricity or circuit as the other wire I I. In order to provide a good electrical connection between the annular electrode and the skin, a ring it of fabric, such as gauze, is moistened with a conducting liquid, for example, a salt solution, and is inserted between the electrode and the arm. The moist conductor I6 is pressed against the skin by the ring electrode 12 which in turn is pressed toward the skin by four arms I 7 these, preferably, being, leaf springs. The upper ends of these springs are fastened to the side wall of the cup by rivets l8, while their lower ends bear against the cathode.

The electrodes are connected into a controlled circuit, such as the Com'ad circuit previously mentioned. Anode 8 is connected to the positive side of the circuit and cathode E2 to the negative side. The current passing through the copper sulphate and the diseased area of the arm causes copper ions to migrate to and be deposited on and in the diseased skin. The use of this small device, which can be attached to localized areas of various parts of the body, makes it easy and comfortable to treat many areas that could not have been reached satisfactorily with the old system using pans. This device also leaves the hands free, and does not require electricity to flow through a large part of the body.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for therapeutically treating skin diseases, a cup having its edge adapted to be pressed against the skin around the diseased area, said cup being adapted to hold against said area an electrically conductive liquid containing a therapeutic agent, an electrode mounted in the wall of the cup with its inner end adapted to extend into the liquid therein, an annular electric conductor surrounding the cup, and resilient means connected to the cup and adapted to press said conductor against the skin, said conductor and electrode being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity to form an electric circuit through said diseased area of the skin.

2. In apparatus for therapeutically treating skin diseases, a cup having its edge adapted to be pressed against the skin around the diseased area, said cup being adapted to hold against said area an electrically conductive liquid containing '3 4 therapeutic agent, an electrode mounted in the wall of the cup with its inner end adapted to extend into the liquid therein, an annular electrode surrounding the cup, an annular moist conductor engaging the annular electrode, leaf springs secured to the cup and engaging the annular electrode to press said moist conductor against the skin, said electrodes being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity to form an electric circuit through said diseased area of the skin.

3. In apparatus for therapeutically treating skin diseases, a cup having its edge adapted to engage the skin around the diseased area, adjust- :able means engaging the cup for pressing it against the skin in sealing engagement therewith, said cup being adapted to hold against said area an electrically conductive liquid containing a therapeutic agent, an electrode extending through the wall of the cup with its inner end adapted to be immersed in the liquid therein, an annular electric conductor surrounding the cup, and an arm having one end secured to the cup and the other bearing against and pressing said conductor against the skin, said electrode and conductor being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity to form an electric circuit through said dis eased area of the skin.

4. In apparatus for therapeutically treating skin diseases, a cup having its edge adapted to be pressed against the skin around the diseased area, said cup being provided with an opening through which it can be filled with an electrolyte containing a therapeutic agent, a, plug normally closing said opening and provided with a passage, an electrode extending through said passage and sealing it, the inner end of said electrode being adapted to project into the electrolyte in the cup, an electric conductor surrounding the cup, a spring connected to the cup and adapted to press said conductor against the skin, said conductor and electrode being adapted to be connected to a source of electricity to form an electric circuit through said diseased area.

WILLIAM R. McMILLAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 116,004 Amer June 20, 1871 309,897 Thurston Dec. 30, 1884 1,573,116 Kobayashi Feb. 16, 1926 2,126,070 Wappler Aug. 9, 1938 2,263,205 Conrad Nov. 18, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 498,527 Great Britain Jan. 10, 1939 OTHER REFERENCES Electrotherapy and Light Therapy, Richard K0- vacs, copyright 1945, pages 602-604. Note Figs. 335-337 and page 603, lines 4-48. 

